The Uncertain Future Of The Gig Economy

In recent years there’s been a revolution in e-commerce, with web-based “gig” companies enabling anyone with a mobile device to connect on demand with a multitude of services. In the United States, an estimated 600,000 workers, or .4 percent of the workforce, work regularly through an online gig-economy platform. Gig workers are somewhere between traditional employees and independent contractors, often sharing features of both. This has made for a fluid and unsettled legal landscape, both in the U.S. and abroad, particularly in Europe. This issue is sure to become an area of focus for the incoming presidential administration.